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Questions tagged [swing]

Swing refers to a particular lilting rhythmic style that is based on a triplet subdivision of the beat.

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1 answer
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How to count swung eights in takadimi?

If I understand correctly, swung eights work kind of like triplets when the first two notes of the triplet are combined giving in result: two notes — long; and then the last from the triplet, short. ...
greenoldman's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
475 views

8th note value on TuxGuitar

I am studying Les Claypool's bass style, and for this, I am making a single gp5 file with some of his most iconic bass riffs to study. So I got them all together and don't need to open a file for each ...
alniro's user avatar
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3 votes
2 answers
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What is the correct term for "front swing" or "front shuffle"?

Swing and shuffle are generally defined as moving the off-beat closer to the end of the measure. What's the reverse of this? What is it called when the off/up beat is moved closer to the beginning of ...
Seph Reed's user avatar
  • 219
12 votes
5 answers
2k views

What is the correct way to realize this ambiguous swing notation?

I'm practicing a choral accompaniment on the piano, and it indicates swung 8ths. However, in some places the rhythm is notated as 3 eighth-note triplets, and in others, it uses 16th-16th-8th. ...
John Alexander's user avatar
6 votes
4 answers
2k views

Understanding swing rhythm

It's my first time trying to learn something with a swing rhythm. I believe I understand how to play four consecutive 16th notes with swing, but how am I supposed to play the highlighted parts in ...
tsooch's user avatar
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4 answers
912 views

Swing in eight notes vs triplets

I am trying to learn jazz and still can't find a solid answer to the swing in eighth notes. I understand swing follows the "long-short" pattern (quarter-eighth), but since triplets have a ...
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9 votes
6 answers
2k views

Should I use 16th notes or triplets in swing rhythm?

I understand that in swing time, a pair of quavers should be played with a ratio of roughly 2-1 (up to 3-1), making it sound like a crotchet followed by a quaver. But if I want to split the first note ...
Djzin's user avatar
  • 193
2 votes
2 answers
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App doesn't swing 8th and dotted quarter, but does swing dotted quarter + 8th

I've started to learn swing 8th rhythm and I think I understand the idea when it comes to pairs of 8th. But how to read the pairs of "dotted quarter + 8th". I'm using the app to insert and ...
cartoflur9's user avatar
10 votes
6 answers
1k views

How to interpret in swing a 16th triplet followed by an 1/8 note?

So the combined 1/16 triplet and 1/8 note cover a quarter note. The question is does the 1/16 triplet cover a straight 1/8 note or does it cover the 1st two 1/8 notes of a set of an 1/8 triplet. So is ...
Josiah Hoskins's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
953 views

How to play "swing" tempo?

Is there a set way to play this tempo? Or is there a whole load of theory I need to learn in order to play it properly? I'm attempting to try and play this arrangement of "Jump up superstar" ...
Frooty's user avatar
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2 votes
5 answers
2k views

Swing rhythm vs straight rhythm

I am a beginner tap dancer and learning music. I don't understand the difference between swing rhythm and straight rhythm. Can someone elaborate the difference?
julia burnett's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
574 views

Shuffle style in the time signature/tempo

Thanks to the covid, I have to take over some music teaching from my son's piano teacher. He's preparing a swing piece for ABRSM Grade 1, and plays each 2 quavers in 'shuffle' style 2/12+1/12 instead ...
Oskar Limka's user avatar
8 votes
4 answers
1k views

Metric Modulation: Length of 'swing' notes

I just exported a Piano score from Sibelius with a swing feel: I wanted to edit the MIDI in my DAW and noticed, that the notes actually weren't in a triplet duration. The second note was always off ...
Andy's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
756 views

Lilypond Swing Feeling

How to properly write sheet music in swing-feeling with lilypond? Just for clarification: in MuseScore, this can be achieved as explained here. I'm a bit confused as I did not find anything useful ...
pasbi's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
162 views

Notate swing for the treble staff only?

First a general question: I'm arranging a ragtime piece and would like to know if you generally play rags with swing in the melody or not? In my case I'll go with swing anyways, because in this piece ...
Andy's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
300 views

Is there a better way to write a swing than I'm doing right now?

I'm currently trying to write out a song I made in another program. I used a swing like at the bottom of the picture, but I can't seem to find a way to write it down consisely. This is the best way I ...
user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
412 views

How to write a Swing Rhythm using tabs?

I'm tabbing out a song on bass, which consists partly of a swing rhythm. I'm wondering how to properly convey a swing rhythm (or more generally, triplets) using tabs. Here is the part as I've written ...
Henk's user avatar
  • 21
0 votes
3 answers
355 views

How to identify the swing style from the staff?

I'm learning "Blues No. 1" from "The joy of Boogie and Blues". I found that all the demo in Youtube are played in swing rhythm (Boogie rhythm, shuffle rhythm ...), but it's obviously not shown in the ...
Rakanishu's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
163 views

Spud Murphy tune calls for "Red Mute" on trumpet and trombone parts

In my 25 years of playing, I've never heard of a "red mute". Any ideas? My bandleader said it meant a cup, but later in the song, it had us use plungers while still muted (the notation was pretty ...
Spivonious's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
4k views

How does 6/8 meter in jazz compare to eight-note swing in duple meter?

The usual example of eighth-note swing in jazz... ...skipping rhythm in 6/8... ...is there any difference in how these are executed rhythmically? ...is the eight-note in swing a little bit ...
Michael Curtis's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
1k views

How to describe occasional non-swing eighth notes using swing notation?

Suppose I have a melody using triplets, which has a swing feel: To simplify the notation, I want to use eighth notes, and mark "Swing feel" somewhere on the sheet: This is all good, but what if I ...
anatolyg's user avatar
  • 2,635
0 votes
3 answers
964 views

What's the best technique to sight read fast big band scores?

I've recently joined a big band. I play second alto saxophone. I do well enough when playing the slower pieces. But I struggle to read the quicker swing pieces. What's the best technique to play ...
user51367's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
911 views

How to play eighths (quavers) interspersed only with quarter notes (crotchets) in swing time

I am currently learning saxophone, and I've recently been introduced to jazz compositions (after playing classical music for a few months). The second measure here has had me puzzled for a few weeks ...
Pyromonk's user avatar
  • 1,510
7 votes
2 answers
214 views

Music sheet says "in time, swing feeling", how many bpm is that?

I'm learning one jazz piece for piano. On the introduction part music sheet says "Slowly and freely, straight 8ths", once intro is done and main part begins, it says "In time, swing feeling". I'm ...
edio's user avatar
  • 173
13 votes
5 answers
4k views

What is forward momentum?

I've heard the words "forward momentum" in different context referred to music but I couldn't find any definition for it (and it might very well be that it is used with different meaning in different ...
Three Diag's user avatar
7 votes
6 answers
6k views

Common reasons for poor drummer swing feel?

I'm a jazz pianist who frequently plays with a drummer who can't swing. The thing is, I just can't figure out why. He seems to be going through the correct motions. Even when I ask him to play simply, ...
qce88's user avatar
  • 81
4 votes
2 answers
729 views

Should you play open strings in first position?

I'm working through Alfred's Jazz Guitar Sight Reading Book. It is asking me to play swing riffs in First Position F Major. Should I hit open notes since many notes in standard tuning are in the F ...
Kellen Stuart's user avatar
6 votes
5 answers
1k views

Teaching others how to swing

In a couple of jams I've been in recently there are players who play swing and jazz music but who play it as straight-eighths. Worse, they try to correct the other players who are swinging the beat ...
empty's user avatar
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5 votes
3 answers
6k views

Swing feel - are triplets and 8th note notations rhythmically the same?

I'm going through some exercises in a blues piano book[*]. I've noticed that some rhythms are written with triplets (with an 8th note (quaver) rest in the middle), and others are written using 8th ...
Mike Hildner's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
507 views

Swinging eighths on the piano

When I play jazz on the saxophone, I use a technique I was taught called "Jazz Articulation" (I'm sure that's not its only name) which is basically an articulation where you slur every other note with ...
SirPython's user avatar
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10 votes
5 answers
9k views

How do I make a song swing?

I've been trying to play some swing bass lines, and while technically I can play the swing feel (the 16th notes with some triplets), it doesn't sound like it's swinging. It sounds kinda boring and ...
Shevliaskovic's user avatar